I can testify that Bogdanovo village (popularly known
as Bogdanikha) is very bad off for food. Will you therefore
please examine their petition without delay, and alleviate
their position as much as you can, i.e., by reducing their
requisition quota as far as possible.

Please notify me of your decision both in writing and
by telephone message.

Notes

[1]According to the reminiscences of Lenin’s chauffeur, S. K. Gil,
the peasants handed their petition to Lenin on September 5, 1920,
during a halt in the village of Bogdanovo when he was out
hunting. The peasants complained that the local village Soviet had
requisitioned from the poor peasants all their grain and seed
corn, grossly distorting the policy of the Party and the
government.

Lenin followed up this petition the very next day; an
investigation was made and the guilty persons were severely punished.